


Forgotten Legacy

by Kris675



Series: Teldryn Sero Series [2]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Dragonborn (Elder Scrolls), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Friends to Enemies, Friends to Lovers, Friends to Lovers to Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Indiana Jones References, It'll all make sense in the long run I promise, Keep An Eye Out For New Tags As The Story Progresses, Legacy of the Dragonborn, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Raven Rock (Elder Scrolls), Slow Burn, Solstheim (Elder Scrolls), Use of Mods, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:01:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25743268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kris675/pseuds/Kris675
Summary: Skyrim is an ancient land home to many treasures, secrets, and mysteries. As time passed, many stores went untold, and legends faded into obscurity. Now, during the turning point of a new era, one woman attempts to unearth the secrets of this land that it's people have all but forgot.
Relationships: Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Teldryn Sero, Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Teldryn Sero, Teldryn Sero/Original Character(s), Teldryn Sero/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Teldryn Sero Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878901
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	1. Author's Notes

Before we begin our story, I wanted to lay some groundwork.

The adventures taking place in this story are going to be based on a LOT of mods. They're going to change a lot of the game such as character interactions, gameplay mechanics, and even entire quests. Since most of the stories I'm going to tell are based on these mods, I'm going to leave a list of them below. They won't be in any specific order, but they will each play a roll in the story important enough to be mentioned. While this list won't include all the mods I'm using for my game, you can still feel free to download them and play along if you like.

Also as a side note, the main character is indeed the Dragonborn, but I'll be playing the main quest out of order. Our main character won't find out about being the Dragonborn until much further down the road.

Please feel free to ask questions in the comments.

Thank you for reading!

Mods:

  * [Campfire - Complete Camping System (Supports Skyrim VR)](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/667)
  * [Drinking fountains of Skyrim for SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/10971)
  * [Legacy of the Dragonborn SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/11802?tab=files&issue_id=443140)
  * [Telvanni Spellsword Armor SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/15830?tab=description)
  * [RaceMenu](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/19080?tab=description)
  * [Lake Haven](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2860)
  * [Teldryn Serious - A Teldryn Sero Backstory Quest SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/5541)
  * [A Serious Wedding - Teldryn Sero Marriage Mod SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/10238)
  * [The Raven of Raven Rock SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/15713)
  * [Quaint Raven Rock - SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/20851)
  * [Haven Bag](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2809)
  * [Face Masks of Skyrim](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/1953)
  * [Darkend](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/10423)
  * [Immersive Armors](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/3479)
  * [Alternate Start - Live Another Life - SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/272)
  * [Immersive Citizens - AI Overhaul SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/173)
  * [Ordinator - Perks of Skyrim](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/1137)
  * [Cutting Room Floor - SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/276)
  * [ApachiiSkyHair SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2014)
  * [UNP Female Body Renewal - A female face and body replacer](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/1699)
  * [Cloaks of Skyrim](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/6369)
  * [Wet and Cold SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/644)
  * [LeanWolf's Better-Shaped Weapons SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2017)
  * [Run For Your Lives](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2272)
  * [Cloaks of Skyrim](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/6369)
  * [The Paarthurnax Dilemma](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/365)
  * [Diverse Dragons Collection SE (DDCse)](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/695)
  * [Unique Uniques SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/3334)
  * [Immersive Weapons](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/16788)
  * [Amazing Follower Tweaks SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/6656)
  * [INIGO](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/1461)
  * [Beyond Skyrim - Bruma SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/10917)
  * [Sofia - The Funny Fully Voiced Follower](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2180)
  * [SkyTEST - Realistic Animals and Predators SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/1104)
  * [Imperious - Races of Skyrim](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/1315)
  * [Frostfall - Hypothermia Camping Survival](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/671)
  * [iNeed - Food Water and Sleep](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/645)
  * [Convenient Horses](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/9519)
  * [The Forgotten City](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/1179)
  * [Wearable Lanterns](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/7560)
  * [Hearthfire multiple adoptions](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/3862)
  * [Climates Of Tamriel Special Edition - Weather - Lighting - Effects - Audio](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2237)
  * [Helgen Reborn](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/5673)
  * [Winter Is Coming SSE - Cloaks](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4933)
  * [Falskaar](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2057)
  * [OBIS SE - Organized Bandits In Skyrim Special Edition](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4145)
  * [skyBirds SSE Edition](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2315)
  * [Skyrim Immersive Creatures Special Edition](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/12680)
  * [Moonlight Tales Special Edition - Werewolf and Werebear Overhaul](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2803)
  * [The Notice Board SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/3218)
  * [Immersive College of Winterhold](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/17004)
  * [Immersive World Encounters SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/18330)
  * [Lore Weapon Expansion SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/9660)
  * [Elysium Estate SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4119)
  * [Moonpath to Elsweyr SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4341)
  * [Opulent Thieves Guild](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/931)
  * [Royal Armory - New Artifacts](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/6994)
  * [JS Armored Circlets SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2140)
  * [Man Those Borders SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/681)
  * [Bring Out Your Dead](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/323)
  * [Hunterborn SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/7900)
  * [DX Merta Assassin Outfit - UNP](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4278)
  * [VIGILANT SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/11849)
  * [Project AHO](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/15996)
  * [WARZONES - Civil Unrest for SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2360)
  * [Volkihar Knight - Vampire Armor](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4806)
  * [DX Tembtra Thief Outfit - UNP](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4292)
  * [Undeath Remastered](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/6180)
  * [The Gray Cowl of Nocturnal SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4509)
  * [Moon and Star](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4301)
  * [Zerofrost Mythical Armors and Dragon](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/8463)
  * [Beyond Reach](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/3008)
  * [Rigmor of Bruma](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/5271)
  * [Clockwork (SSE)](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4155)
  * [Skyrim Underground SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/131)
  * [Artifacts - The Tournament of the ten Bloods](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/15264)
  * [Amulets of Skyrim SSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/487)
  * [BUVARP SE - Barely Used Vanilla Actors Recycle Project for SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/13562)
  * [iNeed - Food Water and Sleep - Continued](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/19390)
  * [Not So Fast - Main Quest](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2475)
  * [Dragonborn Delayed](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/8365)
  * [Artifacts - The Ice Blade of the Monarch](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/13972)
  * [DX Gwelda Dawnguard Outfit - UNP](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4862)
  * [The Wheels of Lull](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/748)
  * [Miraak - Dragonborn Follower SE](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/19829)




	2. Part 1: A Matter Of Trust

"Well, here we are. Welcome to Raven Rock."

Finally.

The journey had not been pleasant. What was supposed to be only one day by boat had turned into two sicking days of choppy waters and navigating through a storm. Now, after those panic-inducing days on the water, they all had finally arrived, and the woozy Redguard woman couldn't be more relieved, or any more sick of the ocean.

She had tried to make out the port in the distance, her vision hazed by the storm. Though, this wasn't like any storm she had been used to back in Skyrim. Instead of rain or fog, what filled the air was thick ash, making it hard to see and breathe. As they approached, she could slowly make out the awaiting town. The first thing she noticed was the town's namesake, the Raven of Raven Rock. It was an ancient rock formation that looked out over the town, the corvid-like statue no doubt looming ominously overhead, coated in this wretched ash.

She stood back, letting the ship's crew secure the boat to the dock as they made port. Pulling the mask tightly over her mouth and nose, she blocked out the storm that threatened to suffocate her. Making herself small and out of the way, she watched the men work, waiting for her opportunity to disembark. The captain of the Northern Maiden took a step back, wiping the ash off his hands, and then turned to search for his passenger. She was almost hidden in her grey leathers, the ash coating her red skin and making her near-invisible in this climate. Good.

The woman strode up to the captain and wordlessly tossed an extra coin purse into his hands. A tip for getting her there safely. After, she took long strides across the boat, headed towards the dock. The sooner she got onto dry land the better, and she was getting impatient. Though, of course, before she could take her first step off the ship, her path was blocked by a native of the island. He was a tall Dunmer, with dark hair and hard eyes. He seemed to be someone of stature, from the rather regal way he dressed. He also had a mask covering half of his face, and she could only see his expressions through his eyes. She watched him size her up, a newcomer to their home, one that looked different and suspicious. Truthfully, she didn't blame him for being cautious of her.

"I don't recognize you, so I'll assume this is your first visit to Raven Rock, outlander. State your intentions." The Dunmer spoke loud and clear over the whistling wind. His harsh words were meant to be a warning.

"I'm here on business." She spoke back in an equally commanding voice. She reached into a pouch secured tightly to her hip and pulled out a letter. It looked rather official and had a large red wax seal, an insignia of a dragon skull impressed onto it.

At her words, the Dunmer's demeanor shifted. "I see," His body language seemed to open up a bit. His arms uncrossed from over his chest and he rested his hands on his hips. "We welcome whatever business our town can get right now. My name is Adril Arano, second counselor to Councilor Morvayn of House Redoran." He was more relaxed now, though quickly cleared his throat, and once again took on a more professional tone. "Just remember while you're here; Raven Rock is a sovereign territory of House Redoran. This is Morrowind, not Skyrim. While you're here, you'll be expected to abide by our laws. Any questions?"

"None, thank you." She said politely, just wanting this conversation to be over with.

The Redguard gave the second counselor a small bow and quickly made her way past him off the boat when he stepped aside to let her go. Despite her desire to be far from the water, she hadn't made it two steps onto the dock before her attention was ripped from its current objective. A yellow, weathered-looking piece of paper was nailed to the post on the dock for all to see. Her eyes read over the words, curiosity peaked. 

"The Sea Tiger is recruiting  
Adventurers and Treasure Hunters.  
Enquire at Bloodskaal Barrow, north of Raven Rock."

She pulled the map from her pouch and marked it for later. She had other matters to attend to at the moment, but she wanted to come back to that. True, she detested ships, but she had never before heard of the Sea Tiger and wanted to know everything. In the meantime, she once more focused on the task at hand. The woman strolled into the heart of the small town, observing the Dark Elves that lived there come and go, trying to sell wears in their stalls, yelling above the whistling wind. She didn't give herself much time to wander, as she didn't want to look like a tourist. She found one of the nearby guards, clad head to toe in their odd, bonemold armor. After a short conversation, she got him to point her in the right direction, and off she went.

Just outside of the walls of the town, her grey eyes surveyed the area as best as she could. The wind had, thankfully, died down enough at this point where she could pull her mask down below her chin. Taking in a deep breath, she could smell the ash in the air, the salt of the sea, and the faint smell of food from the marketplace behind her. To her surprise, a gust of wind came forward, ash stinging her eyes as she closed them, turning away and covering her face. Though as tears welled up at the corners of her eyes, she stopped dead in her tracks. She could smell blood on the wind.

Taking off running down the path, she held her hood down to block the ash from her face. She heard the sounds of swords clashing before she could see exactly who it was. Through the haze she could make out four figures, one was most prominent, as she could tell the look of the lighter bonemold armor from the guards back in the town. The other three were almost invisible through the ash, their bodies seeming to be made up of the same stuff that wafted over from the Red Mountain. Were it not for the glowing embers of their eyes, she would have never even known they were there.

Taking a knee beside some low shrubs, keeping her distance, she withdrew the bow from her back. It radiated magica, the black wood having a faint glow around it from the enchantments laid upon them. She wasted no time nocking an arrow and taking aim. Waiting until the right moment, when the wind was on her side, she loosed an arrow that nearly missed the distant Dunmer's head, sticking straight into one of the attacking creature's heads. The ash creature let out a painful sound, a roar whistling past its dry vocal cords. The Dunmer realized he was being aided, and wasted no time in bringing his war ax down onto the disabled creature.

From afar, arrows continued to rain down on the other two attackers, and the woman watched as one of them dissolved into glowing ash as it died. Once they were defeated, nothing more than burning embers on the ground beneath their feet, she stepped out from where she was hiding and walked over towards the man that was being attacked. The man saw her and sheathed his weapon, stepping closer to the stranger that came to his aid.

"Thanks... I wasn't sure I'd make it off this farm alive." He said as he lifted the goggles off his eyes, resting them onto his bald head. He looked over her carefully, most likely assessing the Redguard.

"I've heard rumors of the ash coming to life on your shores." She said, looking down at the piles that still faintly glowed with dying embers. "So these are the "Ash Spawn" I've heard so much about."

"I don't care what they're called." He said. "All I know is that they're a danger to Raven Rock and they need to be stopped. I was here looking for clues on where they've been coming from when my man and I were attacked." He gestured behind her, a corpse lying in the distance.

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't be. If you had shown up any later, I'd be in the ash with him." He reached out his arm to her, palm upwards, and she reached out and grabbed it, her hand clasping tightly to his large forearm as his fingers completely engulfed her own. "Captain Veleth of the Redoran Guard." He introduced himself.

"Are you in need of any further assistance?" The woman heard herself say those words before she could stop herself. Damn her own nature.

"I'd appreciate all the help I can get," Veleth said. "Although I think I've got things covered here. If I need anything, I'll come find you."

She nodded to him, taking this moment to exit the conversation. As she tried to pull her arm from his and make her way back on the road, Captain Veleth's hand gripped her arm tighter, refusing to let her go. She looked up at him with hard eyes, giving him a warning look. He looked down at the Redguard curiously, cautiously.

"I meant to ask before," Veleth spoke, letting his grip slacken on her arm so she could finally pull away. "What brings you to Solstheim? We aren't the usual tourist destination."

She honestly couldn't blame him for being wary of her. After all, if he knew who she really was, he'd most likely cut her down where she stood. "I'm here on behalf of my patron." She explained, keeping her voice professional now. "He hired someone to do a job here on the island and it's taking longer than we had hoped. I'm just here checking up on him."

This explanation, while a simple one, seemed to put the Captain's mind at ease. "With all the recent Ash Spawn attacks and violent storms this time of year, it's no wonder work has been delayed. Good luck to you, and thanks again."

Now she could finally take her leave. She was going to have to be careful around here. Though she walked shrouded in her leathers, it was still obvious that she was out of place here. She was here to do a job, nothing more. Once that job was done, she'll be more than glad to return to Skyrim. She once again checked her map, making sure she was going in the right direction. The barrow shouldn't be too far off...

Walking up the hills that looked over Raven Rock, she saw a sight that made her heart drop. Great. There was the Kolbjorn Barrow, almost completely covered in ash. The piles were well above the door, and she could just barely make out the mouth of the barrow through all that grey. She cursed. They had paid for someone to come out here weeks ago, and it looked as though no work had been done here at all. Where was that man? Where was-

"Damn it... What am I going to do?" The voice came from close by. The man who spoke was standing just at the lip of the barrow, looking down at the ground with his hand on his chin. He looked puzzled, deep in thought.

Upon seeing him, the woman was filled with rage. "What's the matter with you?" She startled him with her sudden boldness. She stalked up to him, her eyebrows arched downward, making the paint on her face look especially angry. The man stared down at the enraged woman, unsure of what was going on. He sputtered for a moment before regaining his composure.

"With me? What's the matter with you?!" He said in defense of himself.

"Are you Ralis Sedarys?" She asked, her voice still harsh, but she was no longer yelling.

"Y-yes? I am he. And just who exactly are you?"

Without speaking, she lifted her hands and removed her hood, letting it fall down against her back. She pulled down the mask she wore, revealing her entire face to him. She had a hard look in her eyes that shone as grey as the ash that was now building up in her black hair. The war paint she wore made her look far more intimidating than she already was.

"I'm the one who hired you for this job."

Ralis blinked, looked her up and down, and then slowly opened his mouth to speak. "That... Can't be right. You? My patron is a High Elf named A-"

"Auryen Morellus. I know." Nimble fingers quickly pulled the sealed letter out of her bag and held it up in front of Ralis' face. "When Auryen first contacted you, he spoke about having a business partner who will occasionally check in from time to time. I'm that partner. That letter should explain it all to you, and verify who I am."

Ralis snatched the letter from her hand and turned to read it. He broke the seal carefully, glancing up at her every so often as he read. With a sigh, he stood up straight and pocketed the letter, staring down his nose at the woman he supposedly worked for. With a depressing tone of voice, he spoke and gestured around the both of them at the barrow that just barely stuck out of the ground.

"I know you sent me here in the interest of obtaining some rare antiquities, but this whole thing became a disaster right quick shortly after I arrived. When I first got to Kolbjorn you couldn't even see it. Buried in the ash like most other things on this blasted island. Dug out a pile of the stuff taller than me just to find the barrow. Who knows how much to reach the door. Excavating isn't exactly my specialty. Even if it was, the ash storms fill it in faster than you can dig."

"Why not hire some miners down at Raven Rock?" The impatient Redguard asked, crossing her arms.

"Did you forget our arrangement already, now?" He asked her incredulously. "I get paid upon delivery, remember? If I had an extra thousand septims to throw around at things like this, I wouldn't have taken the job."

Wordlessly, she reached into one of the many small bags along her belt. She dug around for a moment, searching for something, before pulling out a rather large bag of coin and tossing it over to the Dunmer. He looked shocked as he opened the bag and began counting.

"Do me a favor," She said, placing her hands on her hips and leaning back onto her heels. "Go and hire some of those miners. The sooner we get this job done, the better."

"What? Are you...serious?" He stuttered again before clearing his throat. "Alright, well. Looks like I've got a good bit of work to start on. Once I've got something worth looking at, I'll send word to you."

"Good. I'll be staying on Solstheim until the job is done, so I'll be close by." She reached around the back of her head and pulled her hood back on, the shadows covering her eyes, almost making them glow when she turned up to look at him. "Don't hesitate to call on me if needed."

Just as she turned to leave, Ralis spoke again. "The letter didn't say your name. What shall I call you?"

She turned back and thought for a moment, before smiling. "Dagger."

~~~

Dagger couldn't get that damn ship out of her mind. As she walked back down the ashy trail towards Raven Rock, she thought back to that post at the docks. The Sea Tiger was looking for adventures and treasure hunters, and she was both. She wanted to go check it out, see how their operations ran. They'd probably convince her to join, Dagger had always enjoyed being a part of the group like that. Though the thought of being out at sea made her stomach churn. Perhaps, just this once, she'd sit this little group out. Perhaps she could convince them to sell her some of their findings. Perhaps she wouldn't even bother asking them at all...

Without thinking, Dagger's feet took her towards the only bar in town. When she realized just where she was, she cursed again under her breath. It was like she had an extra sense for this sort of thing. One that always got her into trouble. Though maybe... She'll take a visit. After all, innkeepers and bartenders are always the rawest sources of information. She was in a new town, after all, how else was she supposed to learn about the comings and goings of Raven Rock?

This inn was particularly strange and oddly decorated. It had what seemed to be a giant mudcrab sitting on the roof, holding bottles of sujamma in both of its claws. Also, for some reason, a rather small Netch seemed to be floating around outside, lazily drifting by the door, unfazed by the people walking by. She glanced at the sign on the door and had a faint idea as to the reason why. Stepping inside, she could immediately feel the warmth coming from the fireplace and smell the food cooking on the hearth.

"Come on in, friend, the main attraction is down the stairs." Someone had called to her from the lower floor. The innkeeper must have heard her enter. Dagger headed straight down the steps, her eyes sweeping over the inn, surveying the area. It was still early in the afternoon, so there weren't a lot of patrons just yet. Just a few scattered drunks and a woman looking as if she was far too tired to drink from the cup in her hand.

"Welcome to the Retching Netch Corner Club." Said the Dark elf behind the bar. He leaned forward, his palms on the edge of the counter, giving Dagger a warm smile. She took to him immediately, walking over and taking a seat in front of him. She lowered her hood, letting him get a good look at her face, and the traditional Redguard warpaint she wore, almost giving the illusion of wearing a skull over her face. She regarded him with a kind smile, though the paint gave her an intimidating air she valued.

"So what's the specialty of the house?" Dagger asked.

"The finest sujamma to cross your lips, friend." He said, rather proud of himself. "My own personal formula that I like to call "Sadri's Sujamma"."

"Let's give it a taste, then." The innkeeper, Sadri, reached underneath the bar and grabbed a cup, filling it from one of the small kegs on top of the bar. Filling the cup to the very top, he handed it over to Dagger, making sure not to spill as he did. She took it in her steady hands, eyeing the liquid before slowly sipping.

"You know, I just added a new ingredient to the mix that I think makes it taste better than ever."

"You're not lying," Dagger said, her eyebrows raised in surprise from how much she enjoyed the drink. She took another sip, wanting nothing more than to toss her head back and gulp this down. But, this drink was far too good, she wanted to savor it. "I might have to take a few bottles of this home with me when I leave."

"I got plenty, you can have as many as you like." Sadri chuckled. Dagger continued to drink, but she could feel his eyes on her, though she wasn't surprised.

"Your inn has a unique name." Dagger spoke up before he had a chance to. She wanted to break the silence, get him talking some more, and perhaps find out more about the settlement she was in.

"It's quite the tale, friend," He laughed again, and although his tone of voice was more relaxed, he himself wasn't.

"Would I be right if I assumed it had anything to do with that little Netch floating around outside?"

"Indeed you would," Sadri smiled, but it didn't meet his eyes. He stopped speaking now, and Dagger cursed to herself in her own mind. Never ask simple yes or no questions, keep the person talking. Stupid mistake on her part. "We don't get many Redguards around here," He said, and she took note about how he pointed out what she was. "What brings you to Solstheim?"

"I'm on business," She gave her usual answer, pulling the cup up to her lips and taking small sips now. "Hired a man to dig out Kolbjorn Barrow, I came to check up on him when I realized it was taking longer than usual." His eyebrow raised at her curiously. "Since I'm going to be in town for the next few days, I figured I'd take a look around. It's very different from any place I've been to before, and I've traveled quite a bit." She stopped to take a sip of her drink. "I saw the fliers outside for the Sea Tiger. Do you know anything about that?"

The moment she said the ship's name, Sadri froze. His face didn't change, but his eyes went hard, cold, as he looked down at her. At the same time, Dagger froze too, the cup still pressed to her lips, unmoving as she watched him. They stayed like that, eyes locked for only seconds but felt as though it was a lifetime. He was the first to break, leaning forward onto the bar, resting his elbows on the wood, now eye level with her.

"Listen here, I've told you before. I don't know anything..." His voice was low, dangerous even, so only she could hear him. "Now, I'm going to ask you to leave before-"

"Wait-" Dagger interrupted him, leaning forward as well. It all clicked for her. "I'm not with them, I promise." She whispered, her hands up, palms facing him. "I'm telling the truth, I don't know anything about the Sea Tiger. I was honestly just curious. I have a benefactor back in Skyrim that I find relics for, so when I saw the fliers, I was curious." Dagger explained to him the best she could, and it seemed to work. Sadri's shoulders slumped down slightly, his tension gone. He believed her, which was good, because for the first time in quite a while she hadn't been lying. "I've also had to deal with a bandit or two in my time," She continued, her voice going even lower now. "So if they're giving you trouble, perhaps I can lend a hand..."

Sadri shook his head, standing up now, placing his palms back on the bar and looking down at her. "No, it's alright. I'm sorry for assuming, I'm just not used to new faces around here these days. Don't fret about the Tiger, they're nothin' to worry about."

"It's alright, I'm not too trusting of new faces right away either." Sadri reached his hand out for her cup, and when she handed it over, he quietly refilled the drink back to the top, sliding it back over the bar to her. "Everyone keeps talking about how Raven Rock isn't doing so well, any reason why?" Dagger asked, changing the topic of conversation, much to Sadri's delight.

"It's mainly the mine," He explained. "Ever since the ebony dried up, so did all the coin. Most people have been barely getting by, including myself."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure things will turn around for you eventually."

"I hope so. I'm not sure how much longer out little community can go on like this." As he spoke, Dagger began drinking faster, no longer saving the taste of the sujamma. When she placed her empty cup down on the bar, he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Thank you for this, it was delicious." She placed some coin onto the bar, far too much coin, but she didn't mind. "Perhaps I'll be back to hear the rest of that story of yours, alright?" Dagger slid off the stool she was sitting on and pulled her hood back up, giving Sadri a small smirk before taking off back up the stairs. She had some work to do.

~~~

Bloodskaal barrow, north of Raven Rock. Dagger headed in that direction, her fingers resting on the hilt of her sword as she walked. The ash storm had passed, finally, and she left her mask down under her chin to breathe in the salty air of the island. It was different here, the air wasn't as cold here as it was on Skyrim. The hot ash that wafted over from the angry mountain made the climate rather comfortable, but a cold wind still blew in from the ocean, reminding Dagger of where she was. As she debated giving up her adventuring so far up north to go move somewhere warmer, she exited through the western gate of Raven Rock and hugged the shore as she went.

She stopped walking when she saw the smoke rising in the distance.

How had she not smelled the smoke? She was so close to it... Dagger kicked herself when she realized why. She couldn't smell the ash when everything around her was ash. She approached cautiously, looking out for any signs of what was going on, listening closely for sounds of fighting. Although, there were none. Other than the crashing of the waves against the rocks on the shore, there were no sounds coming from the direction of the barrow. Of course, this only made her more suspicious.

She spotted the first corpse not too far off, kneeling down with a sword through their chest, burnt to a crisp. She could smell the remnants of the burning flesh, the stench of decay stinging the inside of her lungs. Farther along there was another body, this one unburnt, still clad in Redoran Guard armor. There had presumably been a battle here. More bodies were to be found, some just as charred as the first, others looked like raiders lying face down in the ash. Just as Dagger was trying to make sense of the scene before her, she quickly shot her head up and looked at him, a man standing in the distance.

Dagger had no time to hide before he spotted her. The two stared each other down, a good distance between them to keep them from feeling threatened, but they were the only two living souls on this beach. Dagger stood and watched him, unmoving, but then... He turned away. The man, a Dunmer taller than others she had seen, seemed to be nonhostile. He walked casually along the beach, taking no interest in Dagger as he examined the bodies that littered the ground. Taking a gamble, Dagger approached, walking slowly to where he was. The closer she got, the more she noticed about him. He wore Chitin armor that looked slightly different than others she had seen. It was modified somewhat around the chest, giving it better movement, and making it sturdier from what she could tell. Feeling her eyes boring into him, the man finally turned to her, and she got a good look at his face. He wasn't an old man, but age and battle had worn him. Thin lines of tattoos dotted across his face and around his blood-red eyes.

"What are you gawkin' at?" A smooth, sarcastic voice slipped from the thin lips of the Dunmer. He looked down at Dagger, a full head taller than her, and his eyes narrowed as he watched her.

"I'm looking for the Sea Tiger..." Dagger said carefully. She took a quick glance around to make sure they were alone, and they were. Just the two of them. Who was this man?

"I don't know what you're talking about..." He responded rather coldly, crossing his arms.

"Well, then, what are you doing here?" Dagger's patients was beginning to wear thin.

"Look, I'm here to do a job and that's it." He suddenly snapped, though did not raise his voice. "Why don't you stick to your own business and we'll both be fine."

Dagger almost couldn't believe what she was hearing from this arrogant bastard. "Will you just tell me what's going on already?"

"Yeah, that's not going to happen."

Dagger raised her fist and clenched her teeth, about to start spitting threats at him, ones that she knew carried no weight here on Solstheim. She pointed at him, her jaw clenched shut until she finally found the right words. "I should report you to the Redoran Guard." She kicked herself internally at the weak threat.

"Whatever you say..." The Dunmer waved her off, turning away from Dagger and looking back down at the corpse lying at his feet. "It looks like I've got quite a bit of work left unfinished. Why don't you stay out of my hair and just keep quiet?"

With that, the man knelt down to the corpse, checking its pockets and bags, searching for something. Dagger had seriously considered kicking him in the head. It had been quite some time since someone had disrespected her like that, even longer since someone made her lose her cool. She took off down the beach, needing to clear her mind before anything else.

Dagger took a deep breath of air, thick with ash, and looked over at the Dunmer. He seemed to be searching for something rather important, as she watched him turn the corpse's bags inside out, looking past the septims and jewels, almost as if he was looking for something far more valuable. Curiosity started to bubble once again inside her mind, and Dagger found herself walking towards another one of the corpses that littered the beach, searching through their pockets.

She took some arrows, some coin, and a foreign sword that was probably stolen from somewhere outside of Skyrim. There wasn't much, really. Dagger strolled past one of the deceased Redoran Guard, helping herself to his arrows and gold, justifying to herself that the man didn't need it anymore. As she moved around the beach, she too began searching for anything odd on the bodies. Whatever this strange Dunmer here with her was looking for, she was curious, and wanted- no, needed to know more.

It was when she found the note on one of the unburned bodies that she realized what was truly going on.

"Wait at Bloodskaal Barrow until further orders.  
I will try and infiltrate the city until the other groups make their move.  
Ramodo."

Now, that's what he was looking for, aye? So the Sea Tiger was nothing more than a band of thieves, using the Tiger as a distraction while they tried to plunder Raven Rock. Clever. Dagger stood from where she knelt and casually strolled over to the Dunmer, eyeing him up while he searched another corpse. He heard her approach and turned, grunting in displeasure, and then stood up to turn her way.

"What was it you needed, again?" He asked rather sarcastically as if her presence there annoyed him.

"I found this," Dagger handed him the letter, her chin raised high in pride at her findings. He gave her an odd look before taking the letter and reading it over to himself.

"Well, that's a start..." Dagger could see the gears turning in his mind as he read the letter over again. Suddenly, he thrust the letter back towards Dagger, startling her, causing her to take it from him with fumbling fingers. "Bring this information to Captain Veleth, and I'll keep the rest of these N'wahs from running off." He tried to play off that last part as a joke, but he gave her more of an order than a request.

Dagger didn't move. Instead, she stood there, looking up at this man, her lips parted as she studied him. She couldn't believe the sheer audacity he had to just casually order her around like that. She liked him.

"Who are you, elf?" Dagger asked, tilting her head up, letting her hood fall back to reveal more of her face to him.

He simply smirked down at her, eyeing her up and down before locking his eyes onto hers. "It's a dangerous world out there. Stay safe, my friend. And remember...keep this quiet."

The corners of Dagger's mouth pulled back into a small smile and her eyes squinted at him. She was going to find him again, whether he liked it or not. Though as she left, she could feel his eyes on her back, watching her intently as she left.

~~~

Dagger found the Captain in Raven Rock's center, eyeing curiously the blacksmith, one of the only other people in the settlement that wasn't a Dark Elf. They seemed to be in the middle of speaking while she approached, and quickly quieted down when she got within earshot. Veleth had his arms crossed, and the Breton blacksmith smiled at the Captain as he left, trying a little too hard to seem innocent. Though as he passed Dagger on his way back to his forge, he couldn't keep his eyes off Dagger, and she made note of his curious intensity.

"Captain," Dagger greeted the Dunmer, nodding to him.

"Ah, well, if it isn't my extra pair of hands." Veleth smiled, nodding back to her. "You know, I did find something interesting back at that farm from before."

"Oh yeah?"

"I found on one of the Ash Spawn that attacked a letter, a declaration of war, signed by a General Falx Carius." Veleth stopped when he saw Dagger's eyes widen. "I take it you know who he is?"

"Yes, I didn't come to Solstheim without doing my research, first." Dagger spoke differently than she had before, her words taking on a more scholarly tone. "I've read that this island used to be under imperial control, that it belonged to Skyrim until the eruption of the Red Mountain. General Carius was the commander of Fort Frostmoth before it was destroyed nearly 200 years ago..."

"Well, you've certainly done your homework," Veleth's eyebrows raised, seemingly impressed by her knowledge of the island. "So, I assume you can understand why this might be a problem. If General Carius is still alive, there must be something keeping him that way. Normally, I'd ask some of my men to check it out for me, but we're spread too thin as it is. Can I ask you to head over to Fort Frostmoth to check it out?"

"Of course," Dagger said with no hesitation. The mystery of this situation intrigued her, and if there was a mystery, she needed to find answers. Though, before she could get too sidetracked, she remembered why she sought out the Captain in the first place. "Oh, by the way, about the Sea Tiger..."

"You're looking into that too, aye? You seem to be getting your hands into everything."

"I made my way down to Bloodskaal Barrow. All I found were dead bodies and this note." Dagger handed over the note she had found on the corpse she found earlier.

"Good. Councillor Morvayn was offering quite the bounty for assistance with this matter." Veleth read the note and handed it back to Dagger.

"So, what's going on?"

"I don't know," Veleth answered honestly. "They started attacking the Bulwark a few weeks ago."

"How's the situation now?"

"It's quiet, for the moment. But I'm not so certain. In my experience, it's usually the quietest before the storm."

"Got any leads?"

"If I were you, I'd search one of the abandoned houses on the outskirts of town," Veleth suggested. "I haven't seen any suspicious individuals recently, though that note of yours did mention an infiltration. Like I said before, normally I'd have one of my men do this, but I've got none to spare."

"I'll look into it. This individual seems to be a more immediate threat than General Carius, so I'll investigate here, first."

"Good. Have a look around and see if you can turn up anything useful, and, thanks again."

Dagger took off back down the path she came from, towards the empty buildings she passed on her way here. Despite the town falling on hard times, there weren't many unoccupied homes along the docks. She looked at the first one on her left, examining the empty home before anything else. The windows were dark and the outside of the building looked almost undisturbed. Almost.

Standing in front of the door, Dagger knelt down and examined the ground. Taking in a large gulp of air, she blew a steady breath at the ground, flying away the ash that had dusted the ground directly in front of the house's door. Underneath the dusting of ash were marks made in the dirt where the door had opened, and footprints headed inside. Whoever was here thought they could sneak in while no one was looking and let the ash cover their tracks. Guess they hadn't expected to be dealing with someone like Dagger, did they?

Getting close to the door, she pressed her ear to the crack between the door and the wall, listening in to see if she could hear anyone inside. Usually, in abandoned places like this, she could hear skeevers crawling around inside, but instead, she heard nothing. Curious. She was sure someone was inside, occupying the building and laying low, probably waiting to attack. Before heading inside, Dagger got to her feet and circled around the building. No back doors. Good. Whoever was inside had nowhere to run when they heard her coming.

There wasn't much subtlety to her entrance. There was only one way in, and out, of this building, and there was no hiding now. The door squeaked rather loudly, echoing off of the dusty walls inside. Her suspicions were correct, someone definitely was living here. There were scattered bottles of mead and sujamma lying about. In the next room was a small lantern with dying embers lying next to a bedroll, whoever was here was planning on staying for a while.

What caught her attention was the sound of hushed breathing nearby. Someone was definitely here, perhaps trying to keep quiet, hoping she wouldn't find them and eventually leave. But, that wouldn't be the case. Dagger never left anything unfinished. She strolled into the next room, nudging her foot against the bedroll to see if there was anything hiding within. There was a set of wooden stairs headed upwards into a storage area. She could hear the person up there.

The situation she put herself in was dangerous, that was true, but she didn't go about it with any less confidence. Dagger kept her head up and back straight as she strode up the steps, taking her into the shadowy loft. Across from her stood a man, another Redguard, hiding among the barrels and boxes stored there. Quite interesting. He gave her a sharp look, and let out a low growl as she approached him, though he did not move to attack. The man seemed more frustrated than anything, knowing he had been cornered by the woman. They stood, staring one another down, the man sneering while Dagger looked upon him with a mischievous grin.

"Rough day?"

Those words seemed to cut into him, only making the man angrier. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" He asked, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

"I could say the same for you." Dagger said. He growled again, getting more frustrated by the moment. "I'm supposed to be investigating."

"Yeah? Well I got news for ya. There's nothing to see here."

"Oh really? Because I see a lawbreaker." Dagger's smile grew larger, and the man standing across from her suddenly put up his hands.

"Hold on a minute. Look, you must have me confused with someone else. That ain't me, but, I think I do know the guy you're talking about."

The Redguard's words piqued her interest. There was a mystery going on, one far bigger than she had previously thought. First all those dead bodies by the beach, and now this shady stranger talking about some criminal? This was getting better by the minute.

"Who are you, then?" Dagger asked.

"I'm... Well, someone who doesn't like you asking questions." Again he deflected her.

"Are you Ramodo?" The surprised look on his face told her that her guess was indeed correct. It took everything in her power to keep from snickering. "So, you're looking for someone, then?" She quickly changed the subject.

"Yep. But I think he ran away. You're not the first person to come asking about him, either." Ramodo regained his composure, crossing his arms again and leaning back against the wall.

"Why are you attacking the Bulwark?"

"You really don't know anything about this, do you?" Ramodo stared down at her in both curiosity and animosity. "Then what are you doing here?"

"Well, I _was_ here for the Sea Tiger."

"What? You? Alone? That's madness, friend."

Dagger threw her hands up into the air in defeat. "I thought you were just a bunch of treasure hunters!" She was so tired of all of this. "That's what your stupid flier said, at least. I realize now that must have been some sort of trap. At first maybe for idiot travelers like myself, but now I realize it was to catch this man you keep talking about. Would I be correct in my assumptions?" She waited until she got a small nod from Ramodo before continuing. "So, what exactly is it about this man that has you hiding here with your tail between your legs?"

Ramodo scoffed. "You don't get it. You don't put up with a man like that, he puts up with you."

"Just tell me what's going on."

"You have a deathwish or something?"

"Perhaps," Dagger said, daring him. They locked eyes for quite some time, and he stared her down as if to call her bluff. Once he realized she was being serious, he sighed.

"Alright then, here. It's all in this note." Ramodo pulled out a piece of paper from his back pocket, slipping into her hands what looked to be some sort of instructions.

"Forget the treasure hunting. The criminal we're after is worth over 20,000 gold coins.  
He served the Telvanni wizard of Solstheim and is now an auxiliary to the Redoran Guard,  
so tread carefully. You need to discover where they keep this rat faced scum, then bring him to me.  
My men will be waiting for you at Bloodskaal Barrow. Remember: I want him ALIVE.  
-Sigrun"

"So, are you here to help or not? I can't do this on my own." Ramodo spoke once Dagger had finished reading the note.

"So someone here is protecting a criminal?" She mused.

"Yeah, and they're keeping him somewhere, but I don't know where. I won't dare leave the house myself, so I need someone to find that proof for me."

Dagger thought for a moment, thinking back to a rather odd interaction she had earlier. "That innkeeper might know more."

"What, you stupid or something?" Ramodo suddenly spat at her. "If you go in there you don't come out. Ever. Catch my drift?"

"And I'm to assume that asking the guards is out of the question as well?"

"We can't trust anyone. Who knows what they'll do if they find me here."

Can't trust anyone, huh? "What exactly does your boss want?"

Ramodo simply shook his head. "That's her business, not mine. I do what I'm told."

Dagger sighed, grinding her teeth together as she tried to make sense of this all. She kept the note, stuffing it into her bag with the others she had found. This wasn't going to be as easy as she thought it would, but that was fine. She liked a challenge. Dagger looked back up at Ramodo, pressing her lips together firmly.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do."

"Good. I'll have a whole stack of coin waiting for you when you get back, then." He seemed pleased, now. More relaxed than when their conversation first began. Just as Dagger turned to leave, Ramodo spoke up again. "Best if... You didn't mention to anyone that you saw me here."

"Of course," Dagger responded, and then headed down the steps. Of course, she _wouldn't_ tell anyone. Just like she wouldn't tell anyone about that Dunmer she saw on the beach.

That odd Dunmer, who wouldn't tell her who he was...

Dagger was soon ripped from her thoughts as she exited the building and immediately heard the clash of swords. In the center of town, five bandits descended upon the people, brandishing weapons, looking to spill blood. The Redoran Guard was already fighting back, desperately struggling for their lives against the surprise attack. Dagger wasted no time in pulling out her bow, taking aim at one of the bandits. A well-placed shot got the son of a bitch right through the skull, killing him instantly. She approached, firing more arrows among the crowd, until the other bandits spotted her, and attacked.

A large Orc came running towards her, a war hammer held tightly in his hands. As he ran he thrust his weapon towards her, attempting to bright it down onto Dagger's head. Luckily, she was quicker than he was, and she just barely stepped out of the way, unsheathing her sword at the same time. Pulling it out of the scabbard, she aimed upward, slicing at the Orc's arm, causing him to reel back in pain, letting go of the warhammer. With her other hand, she pulled a dagger out of her belt, throwing herself at him and sinking the dagger up into his chin. As he fell, the pulled her blade out just in time to parry an attack by another bandit.

His sword crashed down onto hers, sending sparks flying into the air. The Dunmer male growled and thrust forward with the shield he was holding, attempting to stagger her. Dagger slid back through the ash, quickly regaining her footing and attacked him, bringing her sword down onto him only to be caught by his shield. From behind, though, as the Dunmer was distracted blocking Dagger's attacks, Captain Veleth came from behind, bringing his war ax down onto the attacker's head, sending him tumbling down. Dagger didn't have time to thank him, as they were attacked again.

Dagger dodged an attack from the bandit's sword, and just as she stepped out of the way of his blade, an arrow shot straight past her head and off into the distance. From across the town center stood a Khajiit kneeling by the dock, readying another arrow onto his bow. Dagger took a step back, letting the Captain get between her and the bandit as she pulled her own bow from her back again. She ducked, just barely missing the arrow that was fired her way, and she dropped down onto one knee to steady herself enough for the shot. One arrow was all it took to knock the cat off his feet and into the ocean below the docks. Staying low to the ground, she crept over to where Veleth was defending himself against the attacking bandit. Pulling the dagger from her belt, she snuck up behind the Bandit, sticking it deep into his back and making him freeze. Veleth took the opportunity to swing his ax, taking the man's head off in one clean sweep. His body fell to the ground, the head rolled a distance away.

Blood stained the ash along the grounds of Raven Rock, and the settlement was thoroughly shaken up. Veleth and the rest of the guards went to check on their people while Dagger searched for answers. Why on Nirn had they come to attack the town now? What prompted this? Dagger tore through the clothes and bags of the headless bandit that lie before her. Soon she stumbled upon a note, wet with the man's blood, but still legible.

"You are to distract them while my agents enter the jails.  
Try not to get killed: I won't be there to save you.  
Sigrun"

Damn that witch. Dagger turned on her heels and found Captain Veleth standing with a woman, almost fawning over her to make sure she was alright. Dagger interjected herself in their little moment, thrusting the note she found into the Captain's hands.

"They're searching for a criminal."

"Excuse me?" Veleth was almost insulted by her suddenness, but upon seeing the note, realized the gravity of the situation.

"He's hiding somewhere in Raven Rock, and I might be able to get these goons to stop attacking if I help them out."

"Sounds like a wise choice."

"Also, I'm going to need free access to the Bulwark's jail." Dagger had never before so openly demanded the keys to a jail. It felt good.

"Alright," Veleth agreed, pulling a key out from a ring on his belt and handed it over to her. "Just keep it quiet."

Quietly, Dagger slipped out of the chaos that was town center and headed towards the Bulwark. Leaving behind the worried yelling and the bloodshed, she slipped past the rest of the guard that was half paying attention to her and headed into the jails. Inside it was a small, one-person jail cell. In a settlement with so few people, they presumably didn't need that many cells. Inside there was only one man, a guard that stood next to the cell, arms crossed. Dagger didn't want to have to deal with him, so she simply strode in there like she owned the place. Confidence was key in getting exactly where she needed to go.

Of course, this time, it didn't work. "Stop!" A hand reached out and grabbed Dagger just above the elbow, stopping her from reaching the door to the cell. "What do you think you're doing?" In a blind rage, Dagger ripped her arm away from the guard, baring her teeth at him. She hissed in a breath of air, trying desperately not to bite his head off.

"I have the Captain's permission to investigate." Dagger said through clenched teeth, venom dripping off her words.

"Is that so?" The guard said, doubting her until Dagger held up the key she was given. He hummed in consideration before turning away from her. "That changes things... Very well. You're free to go."

"You're fucking right I'm free to go..." Dagger spat under her breath. She thrust the key into the door, unlocking it with a loud thud and throwing it open. The metal bars banged loudly against the stone wall, reverberating off the walls of the small cell and making Dagger's ears ring. Alright, she should probably calm down.

Inside the jail cell, almost nothing was out of place. There was a bed pushed off into the corner, a table and chair sitting behind it. Ash yams sat in a bow, the only food for whatever unlucky person got thrown in here. On the far wall was a bookshelf, two books, the covers almost faded away, sat on the shelf next to half a wheel of cheese, and an empty bottle of wine. Next to it was a fireplace, the logs of wood that sat there were lightly charred. It looked as though nobody removed the burnt wood after someone last used it. She inspected the inside of the fireplace and found it to be free of anything suspicious, just clean, cool stone underneath her feet.

Wait, clean? She did a double-take and realized, on an island where the ash piled up to her armpits, the fireplace was the only spot without ash. Dagger knelt down and pushed away the logs, revealing underneath a metal grate. This is exactly what she was looking for. It seemed to be locked, whoever had used it last wanted to make sure nobody could follow. Of course, that wouldn't stop her. Dagger pulled a lockpick from her bag and, with expertly skilled hands, she worked her way through, and the metal grate fell open. At least that old bastard back in Skyrim taught her something useful before she had to go and kill him...

Dagger slipped through the grate and dropped to the bottom of a small cave below. It seemed to run directly underneath the jail for quick escapes. Clever, and something she should probably keep in mind if she found her way here again under unfortunate circumstances. The cave was small, and lead to another grate which dropped her even further underground. Her surroundings were beginning to look different, now. The ash that covered the floors was beginning to lessen the further she went, suggesting that the deeper she went, the older these caves seemed to be.

It wasn't long before she stumbled into an old Nordic burial chamber, half-collapsed after all these millennia. Dagger would have very much liked to dig through all that rubble, go searching amongst the collapsed tombs, but she had to stay focused on the task at hand. There was a door to her right, leading out of the tomb, leading into a seemingly more ancient cave. There were steps leading down, and a crack in the rocks above her that let in just enough sunlight to make it easier for her to see. The air smelt damp and rotten here, but she could also smell the faint stench of decay somewhere among these walls.

Another door caught her attention. There was a lantern sitting on the ground beside it, faint embers still glowing within. She tried the door, and of course, it was locked. She tried to pick it, but after a few frustrating moments, her attempts had failed. Alright, perhaps she wasn't as good as she would have liked to be. She had to find the key if it even still existed. Solemnly giving up on the locked door in the cave, Dagger made her way deeper in, following a small cut out of rock that led her further down into shallow waters.

Hearing the sound of running water made a hint of panic bubble up in the back of her mind. Dagger hated to admit it, but ever since she got caught in that flooded cave all that time ago, she has had a deep fear of drowning ever since. The only reason she had survived was because her friends had pulled her to safety, but only the gods know what would have happened without them. Still, though, she pressed on, keeping her eyes sharp to make sure she wasn't going to stumble into deeper waters.

The small cave opened up into a larger area, again sunlight poured through the cracks in the foundation, and underneath the columns of light was a small patch of vegetation. In this space, three Netches floated lazily around in the humid air, unaware of her presence, or just unafraid. Dagger wondered how they could have gotten down here, or how long they've been trapped in this cave. The Netches, though, didn't seem to mind, as they had enough food and water to last them quite some time.

Dagger continued on through the caves, slipping behind a small waterfall that led deeper inwards. There, more remnants of Nordic architecture could be found, cracked and broken, details carved into the stone, washed away by the water. This is where the cave split off into two paths. Directly in front of her, the caves kept going, probably towards more ruins. To her left, Dagger spotted a ladder, leading up and-

Someone was there. Dagger froze, realizing she hadn't been seen yet, and crouched down. She peered off at the intruder, trying to make him out in the distance. It was an Argonian, wearing black leathers and a hood to cover his face. He seemed almost frantic in the way he looked around, watching his back. Had he heard her, and was searching for her, or someone else? He seemed to be in pain with the way he clutched his side. She could tell that nobody else was around, just him, so now would be the perfect time to come out of hiding.

Dagger crept her way across the rocks, staying close to the wall as she approached. At the right time, she jumped down from where she was hiding, standing directly in front of the Argonian, her bow drawn and the arrow pointed directly at his head. He seemed shocked to see her, though his surprise never left his face when he saw her own. He was confused, and then all of a sudden, let out a curt laugh.

"So, what do we have here, hm?" The infiltrator spoke, a smirk pulling at the corner of his toothy mouth.

"Who are you?" Dagger asked, her eyes kept focused on him, still ready to attack.

"Are you joking?" He cocked his head to the side, still smiling slyly. "In this business, we rarely deal in names."

"Fair enough," Dagger nodded, though did not let down her guard. "So, I take it you're here for..."

"The Redoran contact?" Ahh, so he must also be working for this Sigrun. The Argonian sighed, still clutching his side in pain. "Not that there's anything to be done about it, though."

"What's going on?" Dagger finally relaxed, lowering her weapon and putting her bow away. Though after she did, she let one of her hands rest on the pommel of her sword, just in case.

"You have no idea. It was a suicide mission. We came here expecting an easy win, we had him outnumbered twenty to one..." He saw the mildly surprised look on Dagger's face and chuckled. "What can I say? I barely made it out of there with my life..."

Dagger mulled over his words, grinding her teeth together as she thought hard. "Do you know what the Sea Tiger is?" While here, she figured she might as well squeeze whatever information she could from him.

"I don't really know," He answered honestly. "I know of a ship coming in from Hammerfell, and I've heard rumors in Windhelm."

"You're no help..." Dagger muttered under her breath. "Well, either way, I'm here to lend a hand."

"I was hoping you'd offer," The Argonian answered rather sheepishly. "Here, let me give you this," He pulled a key out from his pocket, handing it over to Dagger. "I believe you know what needs to be done."

"You're not coming with me?"

"No... Forgive me." He didn't want to stay any longer, and Dagger couldn't blame him. She stayed and watched him leave, struggling up the ladder back to the surface. She didn't mind going alone, she worked better while alone anyway. She looked down at the key, examining it, and then turned back from where she came, back towards that locked door.

Just before she got to the door, Dagger had a sudden strange feeling in her gut. She stopped, listening for something, anything. Then she turned and looked behind her, back up the stairs, and then out towards the rest of the cave system. Was she still alone? She honestly couldn't tell. Still, she tried to push that sickening feeling towards the back of her mind and continue on. She had to know what was behind this door. The key slipped in easily, giving a loud click as it unlocked. The moment Dagger pushed open the door, the stench of burning flesh and decay hit her like a ton of bricks. She covered her mouth and nose with her hand, squinting as her eyes burned from the embers in the air. A fight had not occurred here. It was a massacre.

Dagger wandered in further, taking caution with every step. She had pulled the mask around her neck up to cover her nose and mouth, keeping out the overwhelming stench. Her bow was readied in her hand, waiting for the moment when someone would emerge and try to strike her down. She couldn't be too careful, not when there was a killer like this running around. She saw the first of the corpses huddled back behind a shield, burnt to a crisp. The shield they held had a fire-resistant enchantment on it, and it looked almost untouched. She couldn't say the same about the wielder, though.

She passed another corpse, stepping over it as she went. Dagger hadn't been prepared to face something like this here on Solstheim. Who would have thought that the Dunmer settlement of Raven Rock, still recovering from the destruction of their homeland, would house a killer such as this? As she continued forward, Dagger was far too lost in thought and wasn't watching her feet. She stepped down onto a glowing spot on the cave floor, feeling an intense wave of magicka spark through the air, making her hair stand on end. She had stepped onto an elemental rune, and the moment she realized it, she reeled backward to get away from it. The rune erupted into an explosion of fire, singeing her exposed skin as she fell onto her back, covering her face with her arms. The explosion was so loud it echoed through the cave, a swarm of bats panicking and flying up and out into the air. At this point, if there were anyone here, they knew she was coming.

Dagger groaned as she sat up, dazed from the explosion. She looked down at her arms, the fire had left blisters along her forearms, and up to her elbows. It definitely hurt, but it could have been much worse. She reached into her bag, pulling a healing potion out and ripping the cork out with her teeth. She applied a generous amount of the potion onto her burned skin, feeling it tingle and go numb. She drank the rest, tossing the bottle off into the ash. She'd have to find a healer after this to keep her arms from scarring, but this will have to do in the meantime.

Dagger continued down the tunnels much more cautiously. It was far too quiet in here for her liking. The only thing she could hear was her own jagged breaths and something burning off in the distance. The cave was much bigger than she had originally thought, housing forgotten burial mounds and altars built by ancient Nords. This criminal could be hiding anywhere, but she would be ready for him. As she walked, there was almost a trail of bodies leading to one spot in particular. It was a half-collapsed barrow hidden under rubble. Without the trail of the dead leading her to the opening, she would have never known it was there.

She slipped down between the rocks, finding the entrance still somewhat intact. There was a trail of blood on the floor, leading to the center. Dagger had her bow ready, staying close to the ground, and readied an arrow. When she turned the corner, her eyes swept the inside of the barrow, looking for any signs of life. Of course, there were none. What she found instead was a small, makeshift campsite, a fire still burning in the cauldron in the center of the room. There was a bedroll laid out next to a backpack, and a table that held a map and a few bottles of sujamma.

Dagger inspected what was on the table, first. There was an old map of Solstheim laid out, a small stick of charcoal lay next to it where notes had been written down and crossed out. A small, glittering potion caught her eye, a potion of invisibility, of course. After pocketing the potion, she took the sujamma in her hand, turning the bottle over to get a good look at it. Something about this was familiar to her. She opened it, pulling her mask down and taking a sniff of the alcohol inside.

"Sadri, you dog..." Dagger muttered under her breath. No wonder this drink was so familiar to her, she had tasted it not hours ago. It was beginning to make sense now; the questions, the suspicious way the innkeeper acted towards her. He was helping this criminal, and Dagger was going to find out why. She took almost everything she could find. She shoved the sujamma into her bag as evidence and even went through the small satchel sitting nearby, even though it only contained a few ash yams and some lockpicks. Then, she noticed a letter face down at the back of the table. Dagger grabbed the letter- a bounty letter - and her eyes went wide.

"By order of Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm  
WANTED  
TELDRYN SERO  
25,000 Septim Reward"

On the letter as a drawing of the criminal, that dark elf back at Bloodskaal Barrow. Him.

_That bastard._

The sharp sound of a sword unsheathing behind her was enough to almost stop Dagger's heart. "Don't fight back and I promise I'll kill you quickly!" One of the Redoran Guard came running through the door of the barrow, sword drawn and ready for a fight.

"Wait-" Dagger didn't have time to draw her own weapons, she was trapped. "Stop, I'm on your side!"

"You may have everyone else fooled, but I see what you're doing here. The call of gold sends you scurrying like a rat."

"I'm not one of the mercenaries." Dagger said, her hands in front of her where he could see them. She weighed her options and considered how fast she would have to be to draw her bow.

The guard let out a short laugh. "I've heard this song before, and I'm already tired of it." His voice trailed off on his last few words, dripping with sarcasm. She heard his voice before. Was he the one who stopped her in the jail cells? He was, but something else ate away at the back of her mind.

"Please, just hear me out-"

"It's time for you to leave, my friend!" The guard cut her off, and then a faint green glow engulfed the room. Dagger had no time to react as he shot towards her a spell that made her dizzy and confused.

Dagger gasped for air, falling to her knees. Her vision was fading but she desperately clung to her lucidity. The last thing she saw was the man stalking towards her, and then everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like my work, come chat with me!  
> Twitter: @KrisPS675  
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